For businesses that rely on accurate and adaptable cash flow forecasting, having a streamlined, automated process can save hours each week and provide more reliable insights into the future. Dryrun’s Auto Forecast feature has been built to address precisely this need. 

By harnessing historical data directly from your accounting software, Dryrun can quickly create a baseline forecast at the touch of a button, transforming the once-tedious task of cash flow planning into an efficient, automated process.

Let’s explore how Dryrun’s Auto Forecast works, its key options, and how it can help businesses create detailed, dependable cash flow projections in just minutes.‍

Time-Saving, Consistent, and Adaptable Forecasting

Forecasting cash flow can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially when manually consolidating data across multiple accounts, categories, and months. Many finance teams still rely on spreadsheets, which require ongoing updates and are prone to errors and inconsistency. 

Dryrun’s Auto Forecast feature was designed to tackle these issues head-on, providing an option for CFOs, finance managers, and business owners to set up an accurate, data-driven forecast in seconds.

Dryrun’s Auto Forecast offers:

• Quick setup: Users can generate a baseline forecast at the click of a button.
• Historical accuracy: By pulling actuals directly from accounting software, Dryrun delivers a reliable projection based on real numbers.
• Customization and flexibility: Once the baseline forecast is set up, users can easily adjust and fine-tune the forecast to reflect unique business considerations or anticipated changes.

The result? A faster path to a minimum viable forecast, ready for immediate analysis or adjustments.

How It Works: Auto Forecast Options

To provide meaningful forecasting options, Dryrun offers three distinct Auto Forecast methods, each designed to meet different business needs and patterns:

1. Map to Last Year

For businesses with seasonal trends or recurring revenue patterns, the "Map to Last Year" option is ideal. By taking your monthly totals from the previous year, Dryrun can populate your forecast for the upcoming year, reflecting similar seasonal trends and cycles.

• Best for: Seasonal businesses, those with recurring revenue patterns, or those looking to compare this year’s results against the previous year’s totals.
• How it works: Dryrun pulls last year’s monthly totals from your accounting data and uses them as the forecast for corresponding months in the upcoming year, capturing cyclical trends effectively.

2. Average of the Last Twelve Months

For businesses that don’t necessarily follow seasonal patterns but want a stable forecast, the "Average of the Last Twelve Months" option provides a solution. This method calculates an average of the past year’s monthly totals and applies this amount to all future months, creating a steady baseline that reflects a business’s typical monthly cash flow.

• Best for: Companies with consistent expenses or revenue that want a stable projection without reflecting specific fluctuations or trends.
• How it works: Dryrun takes an average of the last twelve months and uses this figure to forecast future months, creating a reliable foundation for long-term planning.

3. Map to Recent Month

Sometimes, businesses need to forecast based on the most current data, particularly for expenses that may have recently increased or decreased. The "Map to Recent Month" option allows users to take data from a specific recent month and use it as the template for future months, making it especially useful for non-seasonal expenses or fixed costs, like office rent or utilities.

• Best for: Fixed monthly costs, such as rent, utilities, or other predictable expenses that don’t fluctuate with seasonal patterns.
• How it works: Users can choose which recent month’s data to map forward, ensuring that their forecast reflects the latest available figures.

Building Your Baseline Forecast in Minutes

Each of these Auto Forecast options is designed to give users a jumpstart on creating an actionable, minimum viable forecast (MVP) that serves as the foundation for further refinement. With a baseline forecast in place, users can adjust specific accounts, introduce new line items, and make other modifications to align with their unique financial picture.

One key advantage of Dryrun’s Auto Forecast is its flexibility. After generating the baseline, users can make adjustments as necessary to reflect updated information, anticipated changes, or strategic goals. This adaptability helps ensure that your forecast remains relevant and actionable, even in the face of evolving business needs.

Accurate Forecasting through Automation

When relying on up-to-date historicals, Dryrun’s Auto Forecast offers a reliable baseline forecast that can be completed in just a few minutes. This rapid setup, combined with data accuracy, makes Dryrun an invaluable tool for finance teams looking to reduce the burden of manual data entry while enhancing the reliability of their forecasts.

By taking the guesswork out of cash flow forecasting, Dryrun empowers finance teams to make more confident, data-driven decisions that guide better business outcomes. Whether for monthly reviews, annual budgeting, or strategic planning, Auto Forecast offers a robust starting point that can be fine-tuned to meet your company’s specific needs.

Final Thoughts: Moving Beyond Spreadsheets with Dryrun

Dryrun’s Auto Forecast feature makes cash flow forecasting faster, easier, and more accurate than traditional spreadsheet-based methods. In addition to the time savings, Dryrun also reduces the potential for error and inconsistency, helping finance teams build a stronger foundation for planning and decision-making.

For businesses looking to streamline their forecasting process while enhancing accuracy and adaptability, Dryrun’s Auto Forecast is a valuable asset. By automating the baseline setup, it allows you to focus on the strategic aspects of cash flow management, creating more opportunities to anticipate challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and steer your business toward long-term success.

With just a few clicks, Dryrun’s Auto Forecast transforms cash flow forecasting into a quick, painless, and insightful part of your financial planning toolkit.

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Dryrun delivers real-time, dynamic cash flow and revenue forecasts with complete manual control and unlimited scenario modeling.

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